Although the proposal to replace FM with DAB was firmly rejected by the parliament in 2016 the issue is still on the agenda in Sweden. However, the analogue FM network consolidates its continued strong position in the media landscape according to the now concluded consultation regarding public service broadcasting.
The government's expert authority, the Post and Telecommunications Board (PTS), agrees with the committee's conclusion that no requirement should be introduced for public radio Sveriges Radio’s to expand DAB broadcasting. Civil society organizations for local radio and television see serious consequences for community radio if SR abandons the FM band for DAB. It is only commercial broadcaster Viaplay that wants SR to expand and broadcast in the DAB network. In several opinions, it is welcomed that, as in Finland, requirements for FM receivers in new cars should be introduced.
- Here is an overview of the consultation responses regarding FM and DAB:
The analogue public service radio broadcasts in FM band are well established and reach 99.8 percent of the population. The band is well coordinated with the outside world and today there is no demand for any other use of the band. It is the primary and robust channel to reach out with the VMA on radio, says the Post and Telecommunications Authority (PTS).
The proposal that the public service companies should be able to decide whether to reduce the number of program services they broadcast in the terrestrial networks, PTS notes that a reduced number of program services in the FM network could result in freed up frequencies in the 87.5–108 MHz band. These frequency resources could possibly be offered to a wider circle.
PTS shares the committee's view that an expansion of SR's DAB broadcasts needs to be seen in a broader perspective, which includes both the conditions for the commercial radio market and for the rest of society. In addition, the rapid development of technology in general and other possible transmission technologies for terrestrial digital radio in particular need to be taken into account.
Pending SR possible applying for and using broadcasting permits for several DAB broadcasts, parts of the frequency space 174–240 MHz cannot be opened for another use or other users. PTS believes that this means that spectrum is not used efficiently. PTS states that DAB radio in the frequency band 174–240 MHz is neither transmitted to nor received by the resident Swedish population throughout the country.
Sveriges Radio (SR) states that since the committee in the report assumes that analogue FM radio is the basis for the radio companies' terrestrial broadcasts and that DAB is a complement, this in practice provides a direction for the next license period.
Canal+ broadcast subsidary Viaplay, which wants SR to be forced to expand the DAB network, writes that there is a desire among Swedish commercial radio companies (i.e. Bauer and Viaplay) to expand the DAB network and thus broaden the range and maintain the relevance of the terrestrial network. The limited range on FM compared to other global media services has contributed to total radio listening decreasing by over 30 percent in the last five years, writes Viaplay. A continued decline could mean that the radio soon loses its function as an important part of emergency preparedness. But since the FM network has long been full, SR also needs to digitize in order for terrestrial broadcasts to cope with the competition, claims Viaplay. In its statement Bauer, the other national commercial radio broadcaster, has no opinion on this.
PTS, like the Public Service Council (PSR), basically shares the committee's view that the development of DAB radio should be market-driven.
PSR states that those who listen to the radio, predominantly to music, have terrestrial radio as their main platform was a reasonable observation about twenty years ago. The listeners no longer have any problems with lack of channel capacity. They find their alternative choices on the Internet where the range of radio and other streaming audio services seems almost limitless. On mobile or fixed broadband in Sweden, there are no longer any decisive cost thresholds regarding streaming audio such as radio. PSR also points out that the report lacks an analysis of how streaming services, such as Spotify, affect music listening in general and on public service radio in particular.
Much suggests that the digital terrestrial networks will be phased out or converted with new technology in the next decade. As PSR has already reminded for several years, the future does not look bright for the DAB system for radio. In the long term, DVB-T2 for terrestrial television will also be phased out. The telecoms sector has long aimed to take over a large part of the frequency band for the terrestrial network by 2032. In light of this, the new joint radio and television platform 5G Broadcast has been developed by the broadcast sector.
DRM, HD Radio and 5G Broadcast are also terrestrial digital radio. From the point of view of trade and business policy, it can be strongly questioned that the state promotes a specific system such as DAB without first considering and testing other systems.
Since the launch in 1995, SR's operations with DAB broadcasts cost the license payers and the state approximately SEK 900 million (in today's money value). SR estimates the audience share for the DAB channels at less than 1 (one) percent today listens to the company's DAB channels.
PSR considers it risky if SR continues to operate an outdated technical system that will lack future market demand. Costly misinvestments can in the long run contribute to decrease trust in public service organisation on the part of listeners/taxpayers as well as politicians.
Threats to civil society radio and television
The National Association of Community Radio (NRO) believes that a media-independent redefinition of public service would have very serious consequences for community radio if SR were to abandon the FM band for DAB in such a situation. The benefits of DAB come from collocation and multiplexing of several channels over the same transmitter. As community radio has its permits geographically limited to (usually) one municipality, they would not be able to use the same infrastructure as other radio channels, but would be forced to invest in their own digital transmitters. This would mean costs far higher than many community radio associations are able to bear today, writes NRO.
Community Media Sweden (CMS) - the umbrella organization for NRO and Riksförbundet Open Channels (local television) - takes a positive view of the committee's proposal that there should be no requirement for SR to expand its DAB broadcasts. CMS is also grateful that there are no longer any plans to turn off the FM network, but that public radio SR with its 181 stations and local radio with 362 stations can continue to broadcast there. CMS has seen a worrying development in recent years as more and more closed community radio stations have been replaced by commercial channels. CMS sees a risk that commercial forces will increasingly take over local radio's broadcast frequencies.
Requirements for FM-radio in cars to be considered
Like the committee, PTS believes that the possibility and need to require, as in Finland, that new vehicles with car radio receivers must also be able to receive and reproduce analogue radio broadcasts should be analysed.
SR as well as UR (the National Educational Broadcaster) welcome that the committee emphasizes that there may be reasons to analyze requirements for FM receivers in new cars similar to the requirements in Finland. SR believes that there are exceptionally strong reasons to introduce similar legislation in Sweden to ensure that new cars have the opportunity to receive important messages to the public (VMA or EAS), as well as news and information in peacetime crisis and at high alert.
The Authority for the Armed Forces would like to see the question of how a requirement for FM receivers in new cars could be designed - similar to the legislation that exists in Finland to strengthen the possibility of taking part in VMA - investigated further. DAB radio's surface coverage in Sweden is still low, as is its growth, and the Swedish Armed Forces therefore assess that the analogue ground network will continue to be the main carrier of VMA for a long time to come.
The broadcast provider Teracom states that FM as a form of distribution is deemed to be relevant for a long time yet and it is important to ensure the possibility of continuing to receive the broadcasts in cars, not least for safety preparedness reasons and for receiving VMA. Teracom thus supports the introduction of such regulation.
Referral submissions of interest:
Försvarsmakten (Authority of Armed Forces)
Post- och telestyrelsen (Swedish Post and Telecommunications Board)
Public servicerådet (Public Service Council)
Sveriges Radio (Public service radio broadcaster)
Viaplay (Commercial broadcaster)
Närradions Riksorganisation (National Community Radio Association)
Inquiry report. (In Swedish)
Ansvar och oberoende – public service i oroliga tider (SOU 2024:34)
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Dead and Buried - Parliament Confirms Rejection of DAB Radio in Sweden (2016)
